Whitman vs. Colorado College vs. Carleton vs. Bowdoin

College Search & Selection
1

I am deciding between these schools and having a difficult time. I plan on majoring in something like Math or Physics or Computer Science, but I really don’t know. The most important thing is small classes, great professors, and opportunities for undergrad research. I am also very outdoorsy and jockey, so having other students like that would be a plus. As far as location goes, I’m coming from California so I know it’s going to be comparatively very cold and I have accepted.

Anyone have any incite into key differences between my choices?

2

Congratulations on the great choices. All excellent schools, though I am not familiar with the specific programs at the schools. I understand that Carleton is strong in math and science. I think Colorado College does one course at a time. If you’re okay with the cold weather, Carleton would be tough to beat. CC weather is best. Bowdoin also is a great school. Any chance you can visit one or more?

3

Really read up on Colorado College’s block program. I’ve heard it’s not ideal for the sciences/math – although people obviously do it – but it’s not for everyone.

I agree with the above, that you have three very good choices. All are respected LACs that attract good, accomplished students.

4

Your options do vary in climate:

Average January Low

Walla Walla: 27.8°
Colorado Springs: 16.4°
Brunswick: 11 7°
Northfield: 2.6°

Personally, I’m not opposed to seeing adventure in some of these figures, however.

(Sperling’s)

5

If the costs are comparable, I’d say Carleton. Bowdoin & Carleton are going to be the strongest academically. Carleton has better Physics & CS, I think. This link shows PhD production by subject – Carleton cracks the top 10 for Physics.

http://www.thecollegesolution.com/the-colleges-where-phds-get-their-start/

You might examine the course offerings, number of students in each major, number of profs for a major, and look at research areas of interest for each prof. You can do all of that on their website, and by Googling the Common Data Set for each school.

I do like Bowdoin, my nephew went there and D1 visited as well – probably my favorite if you are picking purely by location.

6

How does cost of attendance compare? Is that a factor in your decision? If so let us know. Otherwise we’ll assume it is not a factor.

I’m a CC grad and I can’t tell you how much I loved the block plan. I was a history major but was able to complete all my pre reqs for veterinary school so spent a lot of time in the science departments. One of my housemates was a physics major, another a chem major. My brother in law was a math major. Math/sciences are very popular, Colorado College has strong departments across the board. On the block plan all of your academic attention is given to one class. There is no shortchanging one class to spend time on another. Some blocks are pretty intense, others not so much. Many professors take advantage of the fact that you don’t have other class commitments by taking their classes into the field. And by taking a field trip I mean extended study in the field, whether in the national Parks, at Sundance Film Festival, overseas, on CC’s Bacca campus in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, etc. etc. The block plan offers flexibility that makes a CC education uniquely immersive.

In terms of vibe, CC students make good use of their surroundings. Colorado College attracts a variety of outdoor enthusiasts including world class skiers, mountain bikers, rock climbers, and especially your average outdoorsy kids who like to hike, fish, camp etc. Weather on the front range is fantastic, much better than what Northfield or Brunswick experience. Yes you get snow on the front range, but it doesn’t last long and you simply don’t get the grey locked in winter weather patterns that other locations endure.

Whitman is in a nice environment which attracts outdoorsy kids but Walla Walla is much more isolated and does not have the proximity to the size mountains that CC kids enjoy. Whitman is a small school in an isolated environment, and that can be a factor for some students. But academics are strong, students are quirky and smart, and you could likely (academically) be a big fish in a small pond if that appeals.

Bowdoin students have a reputation for being outdoorsy as well but as you know (if you have visited) it takes a little while to get to the mountains from Brunswick. If you are an ocean person, Bowdoin is of course a different story. Obviously very strong academics, a nice location close to Portland, you can’t go wrong with choosing Bowdoin.

Finally, Carleton is just not an outdoorsy type school. Wonderful, quirky, highly intelligent student body yes, but outdoorsy in a Colorado Rocky Mt way absolutely no. You can take lovely walks/runs/xcountry skis in the arboretum, there is no denying there are beautiful areas around campus. But you are not in the mountains. Carleton, however, is arguably the strongest school of your choices academically given your interest in physics, math, and CS. It’s a fabulous school.

Congrats, and good luck choosing!

7

You can be outdoorsy and not live in the mountains. There are a lot of outdoorsy kids at Carleton, but agree that there are fewer nearby mountains (of course).

8

@Ir4550 Thanks for your input. And to answer your question, cost is not a factor.

I have that same issue, that Carleton may be the best place in terms of departments I’m interested in, but the other schools may be better fits in terms of interests.

As far as Whitman goes, the biggest downside for me is actually being a bigger fish in a smaller pond. I have had that experience throughout high school and I am excited to have the opportunity to be challenged academically by my peers.

@sunny66 I visited Carleton in the fall and had a great experience and I am visiting the other three over the next couple weeks.

9

If it were me and money were no object, I’d narrow it down between Carleton and Bowdoin. I think Carleton might have a “slight” edge academically, although that’s debatable, and I’d give Bowdoin the nod for location.

Bowdoin also has a sporty, preppy vibe. Can’t speak personally to the student vibe at Carleton.

10

@willdbk in all honesty I think you could eliminate Whitman. But if you are already scheduled to visit that is great, stick with your plan, and have fun exploring all of your excellent options!

11

@Ir4550 I am a finalist for the Garrett scholarship so they are paying for my visit which is the main reason I am visiting. Also 15k per year up to potentially 20 doesn’t hurt, but isn’t really a huge factor. I also received a 10k per year merit scholarship at Colorado College, but again isn’t really enough to make a decision based upon.

12

It actually doesn’t get that cold in Walla Walla - the average daily high/low during the school year ranges from 78/52 in September to 39/29 in December. In other words, the weather’s typically in the 40 to 60 degree ranage for the majority of the school year, and it doesn’t get nearly as cold as Minnesota or Maine (or Colorado, for that matter - I think it gets quite a bit colder in Colorado Springs despite us being much further north).

If you’re outdoorsy, Whitman and Colorado seem like good choices. Oregon and Washington are both really mostly rural states with lots of state parks and forests. Colorado does have the mountains nearby. Colorado C also has the benefit of being in Colorado Springs - so you get the best of both worlds (nature and parks while also being in a really highly-rated small city). Bowdoin is also in a rural setting. Not sure about Carleton - I know that NOrthfield is only an hour from the Twin Cities, but I don’t know what that means for the setting of the town. An hour from a major city can be pretty suburban or it can be stunningly rural; it just depends.

I wouldn’t assume that because Whitman has a higher acceptance rate and lower stats that means you won’t be challenged by your classmates and peers. Whitman has a higher acceptance rate (43%), but the average test scores are in the 600-700 range on the SAT sections and 88% of Whitman students were in the top quarter of their graduating high school class. These are highly accomplished and very intelligent students you’ll be going to college with. Their test scores and class rank are honestly not that much different from Colorado (600-700 range, 91% in the top quarter) or Carleton (650-750 range, 96% in top quarter).

13

Sounds like Colorado college or Bwodoin based on what you said about yourself. The key difference would this be the " one course at a I’m model"

14

My daughter is looking at the same group of schools though she ended up not applying to CC. She is also an athlete and loves the outdoors. She’s a musician too though. All GREAT schools, IMO. I’d say Bowdoin is more preppy and wealthy and Carleton is more down-to-earth and nerdy in terms of vibe. I would say Carleton is more intellectual. The trimesters at Carleton are nice because you go home for Thanksgiving and stay through New Years (unless you’re on a sports team that trains during that break). Coming from CA, you’ll find you won’t be able to go home for Thanksgiving from Bowdoin if that’s important to you. (I went to CMC from the East Coast and never went home for Thanksgiving but enjoyed spending it with relatives in CA instead). My daughter also doesn’t want to be a big fish in a small pond, but doesn’t think that will be a problem at Whitman as it might be at some of her safety schools. Really, it sounds like you can’t go wrong, you’ve got a GREAT selection of schools to choose from. Congratulations!

15

Also, if you’re going to play a varsity sport, try to get to know the coach and the team. That can make a big difference!

16

I think Whitman is an amazing school (and one where you’ll be plenty challenged), but if you’re serious about CS as a possibility, you should know that they have a small, nascent department that only consists of two faculty members as of now. They are hiring a third next year, I believe. But contrast that with Carleton, which has 9 CS faculty and where it’s one of the most popular majors on campus. I think, as with both of my own kids, you’re going to have to grapple with the fact that the schools that are strongest in your main academic areas and the ones that are strongest in your main EC areas are not the same schools. Only you can decide which of those things is most important to you.